Written answers

Wednesday, 17 January 2024

Department of Education and Skills

Waste Management

Photo of Claire KerraneClaire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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485. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will consider a proposal (details supplied) from a post-primary school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56536/23]

Photo of Norma FoleyNorma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is committed to providing funding to recognised primary and post-primary schools in the free education scheme by way of per capita grants. The two main grants are the capitation grant to cater for day to day running costs such as heating, lighting, cleaning, insurance, general up-keep, waste disposal etc. and the ancillary grant to cater for the cost of employing ancillary services staff. Schools have the flexibility to use capitation funding provided for general running costs and ancillary funding provided for caretaking and secretarial services as a common grant from which the board of management can allocate according to its own priorities.

In addition to these grants, €20 million in funding was issued during the mid-term break, to support all recognised primary and post-primary schools in the free education scheme. This funding is the first tranche of an overall additional €60 million funding announced as part of Budget 2024 measures designed to assist schools with increased day-to-day running costs such as heating and electricity. A further €40 million in funding will be delivered in 2024.

I understand the need for increased capitation funding and I am pleased that I have been able to provide for significant increases in capitation funding for primary and post-primary schools in Budget 2024 which includes also a permanent restoration of capitation funding as well as an increase for cost of living pressures.

This year’s Budget will provide targeted funding for school communities with an increase in capitation of over €81 million.

The current standard rate of capitation grant is €183 per pupil at Primary level and will be paid to schools in January & June 2024 for the 2023/24 academic year.

As part of the capitation package in Budget 2024 I am pleased to have secured €21 million as a permanent increase in capitation funding to assist schools now and longer term with increased day-to-day running costs. This will support a permanent restoration of funding for all primary and post-primary schools from September 2024. This will bring the basic rate of capitation grant to the pre-2011 level of €200 per student in primary schools and to €345 in voluntary secondary schools. Enhanced rates will also be paid in respect of pupils with Special Educational Needs. This represents an increase of circa 9.2% of current standard and enhanced capitation rates.

Schools also receive an ancillary services grant. The standard rate is €173 per pupil in primary schools and €224.50 per student in post-primary schools.

Primary schools with less than 60 pupils are paid the capitation and the ancillary grants on the basis of having 60 pupils. At post-primary level, schools with less than 200 students receive ancillary related grants on the basis of having 200 students.

Photo of Claire KerraneClaire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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486. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide funding for a school initiative on waste disposal (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56537/23]

Photo of Norma FoleyNorma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is committed to providing funding to recognised primary and post-primary schools in the free education scheme by way of per capita grants. The two main grants are the Capitation grant to cater for day to day running costs such as heating, lighting, cleaning, insurance, general up-keep etc. and the Ancillary/SSSF grant to cater for the cost of employing ancillary services staff. Schools have the flexibility to use capitation funding provided for general running costs and ancillary/SSSF funding provided for caretaking and secretarial services as a common grant from which the Board of Management can allocate according to its own priorities.

Ireland’s 2nd National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD to 2030) was published in June 2022 and aims to ensure that all learners have the knowledge and skills needed to promote Sustainable Development (SDG 4.7).

Under ESD to 2030, the Department of Education invited schools to apply for up to €5,000 in funding for ESD related projects in 2022 and again in September 2023. In October 2023, more than €550,000 was distributed to 129 schools across the country for projects ranging from school gardens to recycling initiatives to ESD related workshops and training for both students and teachers, a Fairtrade mini company project, bike stations, rainwater harvesting and composing systems and many other projects.

Details on the grantees are available on the ESD to 2030 webpage: gov.ie - National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development in Ireland (www.gov.ie). It is expected that a further call for schools for ESD funding will issue again at the start of the next school year in September 2024. Details of all funding opportunities related to ESD are included in the Departments quarterly ESD Newsletter (also available on the ESD to 2030 webpage) which is circulated to all schools via the esinet system. Schools can subscribe to receive the ESD Newsletter directly on the website.

The Department of Education also published a Sustainability Toolkit for schools in September 2023, including Sustainability Guidelines with an A – Z of sustainability ideas, useful links and resources.

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